Interior Department staff's unusual demands -- like freshly baked chocolate chip cookies -- have 'alarmed' officials

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Independent

Monday 07 April 2025 19:06 BST


Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and his staff have reportedly used his position leading the agency to make a series of bizarre demands from his staff — including that they bake fresh chocolate-chip cookies, according to a report.

Burgum and his senior staff have asked his aides to use the agency’s industrial ovens to cook him chocolate chip cookies, instructed political appointees to work as servers for a multi-course meal and ordered a U.S. Park Police helicopter for personal transport, according to The Atlantic.

One time, his staff even ordered staff to remake a batch of chocolate chip cookies because they were subpar, the outlet reports, citing three people. One source described the secretary as “Doug the Diva,” while another said the behavior is alarming White House officials. Political appointees have also been seen crying as a result of the demands placed on them, according to The Atlantic.

Interior Department spokesperson Katie Martin called the claims “pathetic smears” from “unnamed cowards who don’t know Doug Burgum and are trying to stop President Trump’s Energy Dominance agenda.”

Read more: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/burgum-interior-cookies-helicopter-report-b2728962.html

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Link to The Atlantic article - The Cabinet Secretary Who Wants His Cookies Freshly Baked

[luvallpeeps]

1. Like royalty. N/T

[Scrivener7]

2. Yep. They all think they're kings.

[Evolve Dammit]

6. and laws/rules are for suckers and losers?

[Scrivener7]

8. And everyone is here to serve them. May they get all they deserve.

[Magoo48]

32. More like Looney Tunes.

[AllyCat]

3. What are they? Pre-schoolers? They need their "snack time"?

These pricks are complete losers. Lazy, freeloading, idiots.

The Senate is right to block every freaking appointment for anything until this insanity stops.

[muriel_volestrangler]

29. Yes, pre-schoolers, but throw in a bit of hormonal "incel" behaviour too

That's how you get them boasting about an "Energy Dominance agenda", but blaming "unnamed cowards" for being against it.

Maybe Cartman from South Park is the closest compromise.

[IronLionZion]

4. Here's some fraud, waste, and abuse

[Evolve Dammit]

5. "just plain weird."

[Talitha]

7. Instead of chocolate chips, use ex-lax.

[Deminpenn]

17. What a great idea

[johnnyfins]

19. Or take a cue from the movie "The Help"

[Marthe48]

33. Remember Ex-Lax brownies?

These idiots could all use a high colonic

[ButchMcMuffin]

9. JFC

Do they have to change his diaper after his nap too?

[Baitball Blogger]

10. Obviously these people can't take the pressure

And need a sugar rush.

Be prepared for the freshman 15.

[Buddyzbuddy]

11. Does he also require belly rubs?

Does he have a designated taste tester, because otherwise.....

[tanyev]

12. What's the matter, Doug? Can't read directions?

Bake your own damn cookies.

[Ollie Garkie]

13. That settles it...

If I ever get to be henchman of a dictator, this is what I'm demanding, too. Anyone else? Come on admit it! Am I kidding? I don't know.

[louis-t]

14. The Twilight Zone.

We're in the fucking Twilight Zone.

[thought crime]

20. But which episode? To Serve Cookies?

[Ford_Prefect]

15. How could anyone be worse than Zinke was? Now we have the answer.

[eppur_se_muova]

16. Well, at least he didn't ask for his own flag and commemorative coin ...

that was in the first Turnip maladministration.

[Prairie Gates]

18. This is the kind of crazy shit you hear about 18 months - 2 years into an admin

Not ten weeks.

They're all deeply disturbed people. They found each other.

And us.

[Ford_Prefect]

24. They were collected for this pupose by those who brought Trump to the fore.

They didn't find each other. They were assembled for the task of dismantling our government, and our culture, by those who hide from the light because they cannot stand the complex nature of human existence.

[2naSalit]

25. That was so...

Last time they darkened the halls of the WH. Don't forget the last batch of wackjobs and ne'er do wells from teh commerce sec's velvet slippers and long naps and limousine motorcades just to go across town. And then there was that fuckwad, what was his name? Oh yeah, that shithead zinke who had to resign due to all the lawsuits against him, rode into DC on a horse, that horse sure look weird with that ass in the saddle... the most disgusting part is that he came back to Montana and helped turn it into magatana while also becoming my US House Rep.. I will hate him through eternity for that as should all living creatures on this planet.

But I digress...

They're just picking up where they left off last time.

[LisaL]

21. If I was made to bake those cookies, I'd put salt in instead of sugar.

NT

[AverageOldGuy]

23. Arsenic

[UpInArms]

30. Chocolate exlax chips

eom

[AverageOldGuy]

22. Hmmm. Demanding the staff bake chocolate chip cookies for him??

If I were asked to bake chocolate chip cookies for him, I'd smile and get on with it. Of course, he had better have someone else sample them first . . . you know, like the medieval kings had an official food taster to check for . . . . .

[Hassler]

26. Kraznov has hired the perfect man

For the job, at the corner cookie shop

[Figarosmom]

27. Geez

[BidenRocks]

28. Personal Servitude is an abuse of power.

While the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) doesn't explicitly mention "personal servitude," the concept of a service member being forced to perform personal tasks for another, especially a superior officer, is considered a serious issue that can lead to disciplinary action under Article 134 (general article) and Article 133 (conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman)

There has to be a similar rule to remove him.

[mdbl]

31. New show on the Food Network

Interior Recipes.